General Landscape Uses:
Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also an accent shrub.
Availability:
Grown by one or two native plant nurseries in South Florida.
Description: Small compact densely-branched shrub with numerous underground branches. Leaves small, thick and shiny green, about 1/4 to 3/4 inches long.
Dimensions: Typically, 1-2 feet in height. Spreading from underground stems and forming masses broader than tall.
Growth Rate: Slow.
Range:
Southeastern United States south to Miami-Dade and Collier counties.
Map of select IRC data from peninsular Florida.
Map of suggested ZIP codes from South Florida north to southern Brevard, Osceola, Polk, and Pasco counties.
Map of ZIP codes with habitat recommendations from the Monroe County Keys north to Martin and Charlotte counties.
Habitats: Pinelands.
Soils: Moist to dry, well-drained sandy soils, without humus, acid pH.
Nutritional Requirements: Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance: Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance: Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance: High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements: Full sun.
Flower Color: White to pink.
Flower Characteristics: Semi-showy.
Flowering Season: Spring.
Fruit: Black berry. Edible.
Wildlife and Ecology: Provides food and cover for wildlife. Attracts bee pollinators. Birds and other animals eat the fruits.
Horticultural Notes: Can be grown from de-pulped seed.
References: EDIS (UF)
Comments: See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's
Flower Friday page.
